The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-08-11
QUE WAsHINGTON LETTER

Special Correspondence of the NEWS:
WAsHINGTON, d. c., Aug. IO.-Sel
dom, indeed, has the national capital
presented so deserted an appearance as
at the present time. The extremely
warm weather which has prevailed of
late has had the effect of driving away
everyone who has not been detained
either by the urgent demands of bust
ness or official duties. Mrs. Cleveland,
accompanied by her mother, left the
city early in the week and will probab-
ly spend several weeks visiting friends
in Massachusetts,. The president
spends most of his time at his country
residence, only returning to the white
house when his presence has been nee
eSsary in attending to urgent business,
which could not be transacted during
his absence.
The scene presented to the casual Wis
itor to the national museum just now is
in striking contrast to the inactivity
elsewhere displayed. When the enOr-
nous museum building was erected, a
few years since, there were not few
people who gave it as their opinion that
congress had done very foolish thing
in providing for the construction of SO
extensive building, the space within
which could by no possibility be filed
with exhibits, during the present gen.
Grafton at least. Notwithstanding
these predictions, however, Prof. Baird
/ and his able corps OF assistants have
continued their untiring efforts to make
each department of the museum com.
plete. Exhibits have continued to ar
rive from all quarters of the world, un.
til the present capacity of the museum
building has been passed, and congress
has been called upon to provide addi-
tional accommodations.
The various exploring parties that
have been sent out by Prof. Baird, in
search of attractions for the museum
have been far more successful thar
had been anticipated, and their re-
searches have i'll many instances re.
suited in discoveries which have added
materially to the knowledge heretofore
possessed with reference to the races OF
both animal and vegetable life, which
have long since ceased to exist. Sew
eral of these exploring parties are il
the field at the present time, the last OF
which, under the direction of Prof. Lu.
cas-, the osteologist, started out a few
weeks since with the sole view of Sc
curing the bones of the great aux
which formerly inhabited the extreme
northern ATTITUDES. The party is fitted
for a long sojourn in the Arctic region
and expect to thoroughly canvas the
northern coast OF Greenland before
their return.
An ice famine, with the mercury
above 80 degrees, is not pleasant to con
template. out it is an experience which
Washington has very narrowly escaped
The bulk of the ice supply of Washing
ton is brought from the Kennebec river
in Maine. 1t is the practice of the
owners of vessels engaged in the ice
trade to carry upon their return trip {
cargo of coal, but owing to the inability
of the ice men to make satisfactory ar
rangements with the coal companies
they have been unable to secure return
cargoes, and they have in consequence
refused to go to Maine for ice unless
the ice companies would pay then
double rates. During the early part Of
the week the ice supply on hand became
very nearly exhausted. 1t is under
stood, however, that the difficulty witt
the coal companies has been adjusted
an abundant supply of ice is expected
to arrive very soon. H.